'Gossip Girl' Reboot Delayed Due To Coronavirus Concerns

By Paris CloseMay 23, 2020

Sad news, Gossip Girl fans.

You’ll have to wait another year before returning to the Upper East Side, as HBO Max’s chief content officer Kevin Reilly just confirmed the Gossip Girl reboot is being delayed. Shooting for the revival has been pushed back due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which means the show is now more likely to premiere sometime in 2021.

Speaking to Vultureabout the postponement, Reilly revealed, "They hadn't even started production yet; they were in pre-production and ready to roll.” The delay should come as no surprise, though. Studios across the nation have shuddered due to fears concerning the outbreak of COVID-19, which has infected over 1.6 million people in the country.

The reboot was confirmed last summer, with executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage attached to bring the hit CW show back to life in present-day alongside original showrunner Josh Safran.

According to E! News, the new Gossip Girl will be set eight years after the original series left off and ushers in a new group of students at a New York private school dealing with a new Gossip Girl who — courtesy of modern technology, i.e. social media — could be just about anyone. As yet, the actors confirmed to appear in the revival include Emily Alyn Lind, Whitney Peak, Eli Brown, Johnathan Fernandez, and Jason Gotay.

Sticking with tradition, Kristen Bell, who originated the voice of Gossip Girl in the show’s initial run, will reprise her voice role in the reboot, which will reportedly have 10 episodes in its first season.